Tank-valve.



No. 656,849. Patented Aug. 287 |900.

' J. E. MINOR.

TANK VALVE.

Application filed May 8, vIQUO.) (No Mndeh) o go Q c,o o o .o 0o o o o o o o o o OO oo o o og '0 oo g .Z4 o o o ,501,0 05'9- LO, o.'o

W itnesses.- Inventor.

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Unirrn JAMES E. MINOR, OF` NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUTd TAN K-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,849, dated August 28, 1900.

vApparition,ind May s, 1900.

To a/ZZ whom it may coin/167172,:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. MINOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tank Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. i i

My invention relates vto improvements in tank-valves, and refers more especially to outlet-valves connected with the water-tanks of a locomotive-tender.

It is the object of my invention, among other things, to constructa valve from which there will be a continuons and uninterrupted flow of water from the tank free from air and to combine therewith a strainer and swash-board.

It is a further object of my invention to construct a valve having the fewest possible parts, designed so as to be economically manufactured and so combined as to make all of the parts readily accessible when it is desired to clean the valve. i

To these andother ends my invention consists in a tank-valve having certain details of construction and combination of parts, as

will be hereinafter described, and more fully pointed ont in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Vinywhich like numerals designate like parts in the several i views, Figure l is a side elevation of the forward end of a locomotive-tender. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.` Fig.' 3 is a plan View of the valve, and Figjt is a section thereof upon line A B of Fig. 3.

It is desirable that the water from the supply-tank upon the tender should be fed in a continuous and unobstructed stream to the pump or injector connected with the locomotive-boiler, which can' only be done by preventing the air from mingling with the water and passing through the outlet-valve. This is not so difficult to accomplish when the tank is substantially full; but when the water-level is lowered and the mass of water swashes back and forth in the t-ank, owing to the movement of the tender, the air reaches the outlet-valve and mingles with the water, which prevents the pump or in- Serial No. 15,968. (No model.)

jector from throwing its proper quantities or capacities into the boiler. The lower the water-level the greater the opportunity for the air to mingle with the water, and hence the greater the reduction in the capacity of the pump. lV-hen the locomotive is traveling on an upgrade, the'water all rushes to the rear end of the tender, leaving the bottom of the front end almost uncovered, which permits the air to have an uninterrupted entrance to the outlet-valve. To overcome these objections in the valves used at the present time, I have designed a valve which is substantially an inverted cup held against lateral movement by pins or supports and upon which it is I," oyable vertically in any convenient or `.wil-known manner. Surrounding the valve is a strainer, which prevents the dirt or sediment from reaching the valve, and exterded across the tank to the rear of the said valve is a swash-boardvhich forms between itself and the front end of the tank a well within which the wateris contained and cannot escape therefromexcepting through the valve, the motion and moveu ment of the tender having substantially no action upon this water. Beneath-the bottom of the tank I have securedV a valve-well into which the water drops after passing through the valve and from which it is conv eyed through a flexible pipe to the injector or pump upon the locomotive.

In the drawings the numeral l designates a locomotive-tender the canstruction of which is immaterial to my invention, which tender is provided with the usual water-tank 2, having the 'two wings 3 3 at the forward end thereof. 4t is the bottom plate of said tank, having a hole 5 therethrough within the wings 3 3.

The valve mechanism consists of a bottom,

plate 6, which is securely fastened to the rank-bottom 4 by the bolts 7, and through the center of which plate is a hole 8 of substantially the same diameter as the hole 5, which holes register with each other.

9 is a valve preferably cup-shaped and having an integral neck 10, to which is removably lixed the lower end of the ad j listing-rod ll, which rod passes up through the top of the tank and is provided with a hand-wheel 12,afXed thereto. Projecting upwardly from IOO the plate G are the guide-pins 13, preferably four in number, which pins project into the interior of the valve 9 and prevent lateral movement thereof, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. I prefer to affix these pins to the plate 6, as shown, but do not desire to be limited thereby, as they can be made integral or fastened in any other convenient manner. rlhe construction of the rod 11 is not shown yin detail, as the valve-rods now in use can be used lwith my invention, it being sufficient to say that the rod is threaded in a nut at the top of the tank, so that by rotating the same a vertical movement is imparted to the rod and to the said valve. It is apparent, therefore, that by rotating the hand-wheel 12 a vertical movement is given the valve 9 and the space between the bottom thereof and the top of the plate 6 is increased or diminished, as desired, thereby providing an outlet of variable area. Surrounding the said valve is a perforated strainer 23, which is preferably attached to the plate 6 by means of screws 14, passing through the ears 15. This strainer prevents the solid foreign matter which always enters the tank withA the Water from reaching the valve and thence into the boiler and insures a water-supply as free from foreign substance as is possible to secure it. To the rear of the strainer is a sWash-board 16, which extends across the full width of the Wings 3 3 and is fitted into grooves at either end of the sides 17 of the tank-Wings 3. (See Fig. 3.) This swashboard prevents the water that is between it and the forward end of the tank from escaping to the rear end of the tank when the ltender is moving, and the valve is always thus surrounded bya sufficient water-supply. The air cannot reach the valve, and, as it will be noted that the out-let for the water is beneath the bottom of the valve 9, which is but slightly above the bottom of the tank itself, no air can possibly reach the valve until the Water in the tank is substantially exhausted and when it is far below its working level.

Attached by the bolts 7 to the under side of the bottom plate of the tank 4 is a well 18. Integral with the said well and projecting from one side thereof is a nipple 19, having a hole 20 therethrough openinginto the interior of the said well, and connecting the said nipple with the pump or injector of the engine is the usual flexible pipe 21. In the bottom of the well 18 is a plug 22, through "which the sediment or dirt is removed from the well if, perchance,any should pass through the strainer. The bottom edge of the valve 9 is recessed, as shown at 24, so that when the valve is screwed down tightly upon the 6o top of the plate 6 a water-tight joint is secured.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within my invention, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but claim all that falls fairly within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In avalve of the character described, the combination with an inverted-cup-shaped valve, adapted to be moved vertically, means, as guide-pins, for holding said valve against lateral movement, a base-plate having a hole therethrough concentric to said valve, and a perforated strainersurroundingthesaid valve and secured to the said base-plate, .substantially as described.

2. In a valve of the character described, the combination with the base-plate 6 having the aperture 8 therethrough; of the inverted-cupshaped valve 9 having a vertical movement upon guide-pins 13; a strainer 23 surroundingthe said valve 9, and a s wash-board 16, all constructed and operating substantially as described.

3. In a tank-valve of the character described, the combination with a tank; of a cup-shaped valve held against lateral movement; means for moving said valve toward and away from its seat; and a well secured to said tank in a line with said valve, substantially as described.

4. In a tank-valve of the character described, the combination with the tank having a valve-port therethrough; of acup-shaped valve movable within said tank toward and away from said valve-port; and a well secured to said tank in line with the said valveport and valve, substantially as described.

5. In a tank valve of the character described, the combination with a tank having a valve-port, as 5, therethrough; of a cupshaped valve 9 having a movement upon guides, as the pins 13, toward and away from said valve-port; a strainer 23 surrounding said valve; and a well 18 secured to said tank adjacent to said valve-port and having an outlet 2O therefrom, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. MINOR.

\Vitnesses:

GEoaGE E. HALL, WALLACE S. MOYLE.

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